Can for explosive charge



Oct. 24, 1967 H. H. SORG, JR

CAN FOR EXPLOSIVE CHARGE Filed March 16, 1966 ATTO United States PatentABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A marine explosive device comprising anexplosive charge container having an opening in one end wall. A seatsurface and an upright rim circumscribe the opening and a closurecomprising a plate having a detonator tube depending therefrom isreceived within the rim and on the seat surface. A spring engages therim and overlies the plate to retain the closure in sealed relationshipon the seat surface. A line may be mechanically connected to the springand to a bail fastened to the plate for sequential-1y pulling first thespring and then the plate and detonator from the container when forceisapplied to the line, thereby, disarming the charge and permitting thecontents to empty from the container through the opening.

This invention relates to an explosive device for use in under-waterterrestrial exploration and has at its primary object the provision of acan for carrying an explosive charge, the can having releasabledetonatormeans thereon for readily disarming the explosive device andthereby rendering the same harmless.

When exploring under-water terrestrial conditions to determine oilwell'drilling conditions and the like, explosive charges are'floated onthe water and detonated to produce recordable responses for seismictesting apparatus, The charge is generally contained in a can andconveyed rearwardly on a tow or anchor line behind a moving boatthecharge being electrically detonate at a predetermined distance from theboat. Should the detonator mechanisrn fail the can will proceed to theend of the line and break off therefrom due to the pulling force of theboat, with the can and charge then becoming, a freelydrifting armed minewith the detonator in firing position. These free charges are hazardousto boats which may, detonate the charge by collision therewith.Additionally, the can may be washed up on the shore and be handled byparties unaware of the danger which may be attendant upon unexpendedexplosive charges of this type.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the instant invention toprovide a can or receptacle for an explosive charge of theaferomentioned character wherein the 'detonating means for the charge isreleased from the receptacle when the latter breaks loose from theanchor line, with the explosive charge thereby being renderedineffective.

A further object of the present invention is to pro- .vide a receptaclewith a releasable detonator as above described wherein the receptacle isopened upon release of the detonator so that the explosive charge willbe emptied and dispersed into the Water to thereby render the chargeharmless.

Other objects of this invention include details of construction whichwill become apparent from the following specification and accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a can for an explosive charge made pursuant tothe teachings of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken along line 22 ofFIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the closure and deto- I nator assembly;and

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration showing the can in operation forterrestrial exploration.

In the present invention, a cylindrical receptacle 10 (illustrated onlyfragmentarily in the drawing) is provided for carrying an explosivecharge 12. A top 14 is formed on receptacle 10 and is provided with acircu-. 1

lar seat 16 having an annular, inset, arcuate sidewall 18 which isconcave in configuration to present a groove 20 and an annular shoulder22. An integral, annular supporting surface or rest 24 extends inwardlyfrom the lower edge of sidewall 18 and in surrounding relation-.

ship with an opening 26.

The detonator assembly for expolsive charge 12 includes a circularclosure plate 28 having an integral sleeve 30 depending from the lowersurface thereof. Sleeve 30 is adapted to complementally receive adetonator 32 which comprises a primer charge 34 snugly fitted withinsleeve 30 and an electrically actuated blasting cap. 36 inserted withinprimer 34. A handle 38 is piv'otally secured to the upper surface ofclosure of clips 40.

Closure plate 28 is secured to receptacle'lllby releasable structure inthe form of a discontinuous, resilient spring coil 42 having a circular,transverse configuration and presenting a pair of spaced-apart ends 44 Itightly grip the same, line 50 then beingwound about extension 48 ofspring coil 42, there being slack in line 50 between handle 38 and coil42. The detonator assembly is placed in receptacle 10 by insertingsleeve 30 through opening 26 and complementally'placing closure plate 28on rest 24 of receivingseat 16Coil 42 is grasped at ends 44 and 46 toforce the same toward each other and thereby decrease the normaldiameter of coil 42 whereby the latter may be placed'onthe upper surfaceplate 28. Coil 42 is then permitted to expand outwardly against sidewall18 to be complementally received within groove 20. The opposed surfacesof sidewall 18 receive and cooperate with coil 42 to urge closure plate28 into sealed relationship with rest 24 to thereby close receptacle 10.v

In operation, the marine explosive device of this invention is droppedinto a body of water .51 from a moving boat 52 having a trailing anchorline 54; the latter may extend through a metal cone 56 mounted at therear of boat 52 as shown in FIG. 4. A lighter-thanair balloon 58 may beconnected to anchor line 54 by a cord 60. The explosive device issecured to anchor line 54 by a cable 62 which is looped at one endthereof about anchor line 54 for conveyance therealong, the other end ofcable 62 being secured to handle 38.

After the explosive device has been dropped from boat 52 into the water,it floats rearwardly along anchor line 54 toward balloon 58 as cable 62slides along anchor line 54 due to the moving force of boat 52. When theexplosive device reaches the vicinity of cord 60, an operator on boat 52will actuate suitable electrical apparatus to cause a current to flowthrough actuating line 50 to activate cap 36 and cause the same toexplode which instantaneously causes successive explosions of primer 34and charge 12. The explosion produces vibrations in the undergroundterrain which are recordable by seismic testing apparatus located onboat 52. Usually, a series of charges are detonated in relatively rapidand timed succession at predetermined intervals of distance.

3,348,483, Patented Oct. 24, 1967 plate 28 by a pair- Sometimes, throughdefective caps, primers or the like, the blast will not be effected bythe electrical current applied through line 50. When this occurs, theexplosive device will continue rearwardly along anchor line 54 and theoperator will take up any slack in actuating line 50 to cause a pullingforce on extension 48 through line 50 due to the forward movement of theboat. This force on extension 48 releases spring coil 42 from itssecured position within groove 20, Spring coil 42 is readily releasedsince the outer, arcuate surface thereof easily slides along the arcuatecamming surface of sidewall 18. Subsequent to release of coil 42, theforce of line 50 is applied directly to handle 38 to thereby pullclosure plate 28 from its seated position in receptacle 10. Actuatingline 50 is thus arranged, by virtue of the slack initially providedbetween coil 42 and handle 38, to apply a coilreleasing force prior tothe application of the closureremoving force.

After the detonator assembly has been removed from receptacle 10, thelatter will freely float n the water 51 with the charge 12 emptyingthrough opening 26 and dispersing into the water, whereby the charge isrendered harmless. Actuating line 50 may be reeled in from the boatuntil the detonator assembly is received within cone 56, whereupon anattempt is again made to actuate primer 36 to safely dispose of thesame.

It should be noted that prior devices heretofore used for underwaterseismic exploration involved the use of an integral closure plate havinga handle thereon, such as handle 38 secured by clips 40 of my device.When the primer failed to explode the charge within the de vice, thelatter would continue rearwardly of the boat until its sliding cablestruck the balloon cord or anchor, causing an impact suificient toseparate the handle from its mounting clips. The explosive device wasthen permitted to float freely on the body of water with its detonatingmechanism in place and the main charge retained within the receptacle tothereby present a floating mine capable of being exploded upon impactwith boats or the like. The hazardous disadvantages of such priordevices are eliminated by my marine explosive device wherein the maincharge thereof is rendered harmless by removing the detonator assemblyand the resultant dispersal of the charge within the body of water.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A marine explosive device comprising:

a receptacle having an explosive charge therein and including an endwall, said end wall being provided with an opening communicating withthe interior of the receptacle;

a closure for said receptacle, said closure including a plate adapted tobe disposed across said opening and having an area sufiiciently great tocompletely close the latter, said plate having a hole therethrough anddisposed in registry with the opening in said end wall;

an elongated tube having one end thereof secured to the plate insurrounding relationship to said hole to close the latter, said tubeextending into the receptacle through said opening when the plate is inclosing relationship over said opening, said tube being adapted toreceive therein detonator means for said charge; and

releasable structure securing said closure to said receptacle with thedetonator extending into the receptacle in position for detonating saidcharge when the detonator is actuated, said structure including a rimand a plate supporting seat surface on the end wall and surrounding saidopening, and spring means engaging the plate and said rim for exerting abiasing force to hold the plate in sealed relationship with saidsurface.

2. The invention of claim 1, said spring means comprising an elongatedrod bent to conform generally to the configuration of said rim andhaving an unrestrained circumference slightly larger than the rim, thelatter including an upright wall surrounding said seat surface, wherebythe spring means is constricted when disposed against said upright wallwithin the confines of the latter and in overlying relationship to theplate to frictionally clamp the plate on said seat surface.

3. The invention of claim 2, and a line mechanically coupled with thespring means and with said plate for sequentially pulling said springmeans from engagement with said upright wall and then pulling said platefrom said seat surface when a pulling force is exerted on said 35 line.

4. The invention of claim 2, said upright wall being transverselyarcuate in configuration whereby said spring means must be furtherconstricted to be withdrawn from said frictional engagement against theupright wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 542,102 7/1895 Peters 102241,588,427 6/1926 Karollus 102-22 2,262,445 11/ 1941 Alford 102---222,709,407 5/1955 Lowe 10224 3,059,575 10/1962 Griffith et al. 102-223,279,372 10/1966 Patterson 102-28 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, PrimaryExaminer.

V. R. PENDEGRASS, Assistant Examiner.

1. A MARINE EXPLOSIVE DEVICE COMPRISING: A RECEPTACLE HAVING ANEXPLOSIVE CHARGE THEREIN AND INCLUDING AN END WALL, SAID END WALL BEINGPROVIDED WITH AN OPENING COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF THERECEPTACLE; A CLOSURE FOR SAID RECEPTACLE, SAID CLOSURE INCLUDING APLATE ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED ACROSS SAID OPENING AND HAVING AN AREASUFFICIENTLY GREAT TO COMPLETELY CLOSE THE LATTER, SAID PLATE HAVING AHOLE THERETHROUGH AND DISPOSED IN REGISTRY WITH THE OPENING IN SAID ENDWALL; AN ELONGATED TUBE HAVING ONE END THEREOF SECURED TO THE PLATE INSURROUNDING RELATIONSHIP TO SAID HOLE TO CLOSE THE LATTER, SAID TUBEEXTENDING INTO THE RECEPTACLE THROUGH SAID OPENING WHEN THE PLATE IS INCLOSING RELATIONSHIP OVER SAID OPENING, SAID TUBE BEING ADAPTED TORECEIVE THEREIN DETONATOR MEANS FOR SAID CHARGE; AND RELEASABLESTRUCTURE SECURING SAID CLOSURE TO SAID RECEPTACLE WITH THE DETONATOREXTENDING INTO THE RECEPTACLE IN POSITION FOR DETONATING SAID CHARGEWHEN THE DETONATOR IS ACTUATED, SAID STRUCTURE INCLUDING A RIM AND APLATE SUPPORTING SEAT SURFACE ON THE END WALL AND SURROUNDING SAIDOPENING, AND SPRING MEANS ENGAGING THE PLATE AND SAID RIM FOR EXERTING ABIASING FORCE TO HOLD THE PLATE IS SEALED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAIDSURFACE.